Blog Archives

The festive season is upon us, and throughout the country many families are preparing to celebrate the jolly season. The situation in Gauteng’s informal settlements is not nearly as cheery, but this year you can help to better the circumstances of a few of its most vulnerable members – those furry friends whose guardians care for them deeply, but have too little resources to go around. Here are a few ways in which you can help us to spread the love this festive season:

Contribute or volunteer at our festive season vaccination drives
Our next vaccination days are Saturday 2 December at the Eskom Settlement, and Saturday 9 December at the Zandspruit informal settlement. We are still in need of donations of the following: cat and dog food; tick and flea treatment; collars and leads.

Not sure what to buy or how to get it to us?
Donate whatever you’re prepared to give, and we’ll take care of getting it to those who need it most. Donations can be made to the official Animal Allies account (Animal Allies, Nedbank Central Gauteng, Acc. 1284143821, Branch 128405). Alternatively, you can contribute via the SnapScan App (we’re tech-savvy like that); or choose to volunteer your time or skills on the day by calling 076 511 5451.

Give a fuuurever home to a kitten or puppy
Can you believe these cuties haven’t found their forever homes yet? Contact us if you want to become the loving guardian of one, or more of these puppies or should you prefer, we also have kittens male and female from seven weeks old (all tested and vaccinated) also looking for homes. As always, an adoption fee and home check apply. To arrange a visit, please contact us on 076 511 5451.

Give the gift that gives twice with a SAINTS Calendar!
Not sure what to get your loved one’s as Christmas gifts this year? Give the gift that gives twice – a printed SAINTS Animal Charity calendar that keeps track of birthdays and appointments AND brings hope to 11 different animal charities, of which Animal Allies are one. Order your calendar (or two, three or four!) at R120 each by emailing us.

Join us in thanking Hills for their generosity!
Hills are collaborating with us by contributing R30 000 towards our pay-4-a-spay initiative. There are countless animals that are in desperate need of our help; the only way to end the cycle is through education and sterilisation which will lead to less unwanted animals and reduce the animal euthanasia rate. The wonderful donation we received of R30 000 from Hills will certainly go a long way in achieving this goal. You can also help pay-4-a-spay by simply donating any amount using our Animal Allies bank account or SnapScan App.

Don’t forget to like and follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all our events, campaigns and success stories.

As usual October kept us on our toes with 3 onsite sterilization days. Two in Randfontein and one in Zandspruit. These days take place in communities that otherwise would not be able to get their pets sterilized. A total of 107 dogs and cats were sterilized. This service is so appreciated and we have Viv and the Saints team to thank for this as they sponsored these days. For more pictures visit our facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/animalallies101

Next up: an onsite Sterilization day in Katlehong on the 8th November

Talking of Katlehong our Outreach days are getting busier and busier. Please consider making a donation for the many animals we help in Katlehong. We are in desperate need of dog and cat food, collars and leashes or tick and flea treatment. If you’re unable to get to the shops please consider making a monetary donation into our account or via snapscan Thanks!!!

Looking for Christmas gifts? Spread the cheer with this calendar!

This year, the talented team from SAINTS Animal Charity have put together a 2018 calendar filled with heart-warming snap shots that will keep you smiling all year through. The calendars are just R120 each, and the best part… the proceeds benefit 10 different animal welfare organisations – including us!
So gift your friends, family and four-legged pals all in one go this Christmas. Order a calendar today from the SAINTS Animal Charity shop in Northriding or by emailing Viv on events@saintsshop.co.za – and please don’t forget to mention that Animal Allies got you there!

Pledge a box to treat an animal in need this season

We are so excited to have been chosen once again as a beneficiary of Santa Cause for Paws. Please help us treat the animals this Christmas by pledging a box on www.santapaws.co.za

Here’s a reminder of what to pack, once you’ve chosen a category (cat, dog, puppy or kitten):

• Two things yum
• Something warm
• Something fun
• Something useful

If you pledge online, you must put all five items into a box. Please attach a label to the box so we know which category it falls under!
If you prefer to make a donation towards this cause, visit www.santapaws.co.za to learn more and to help treat a needy animal this season.

A Speedy recovery, thanks to you all!

Good news – Speedy has made a full recovery and has returned home to an overjoyed guardian! A big thanks to everyone who donated towards his vet bills. Your generosity has made all the difference to him and his family.

Rehab has revived Danger – now for a new home

In other news, our precious boy Danger is getting stronger and stronger, thanks to Lara and her team from Kinetic Rehab Animal Spa, as well as his extremely kind and generous sponsors, Sue and Roger.

We’re now tasked with finding Danger a good home. Please consider adopting him or broadcasting his story to others, as he needs a home that can offer him the love and attention he deserves. Contact us for more info. Adoption rates and home checks will apply.

Take a look at how well Danger is doing by watching this short clip- https://www.facebook.com/588830647962980/videos/824871547692221/

And last but not least. Don’t forget it MySchools 20th birthday and for every new signup we get R20. Today is the last day to sign up. If you don’t have a card please sign u p and nominate Animal Allies www.myschool.co.za/supporter/apply/

Thank you for all the support you have given us so far and have a wonderful weekend

We are happy to announce that Santa Cause for Paws have included us as one of their beneficiaries to receive gifts for the animals in our care. In case you aren’t familiar with how it works, you simply pledge online and drop off at a place closest to you and we will receive the donations you have made. Please visit www.santapaws.co.za for more information.
Please share with friends and family and help spread the word. The more we receive, the more our furry friends receive. Thanks!!!

This month we were blessed with wonderful food donations from the following companies – Catbox, Eukanuba, Yankee Candle, Hills. Thank you very much to each and every one of you for helping us lighten the load. The downturn in the economy is very evident in the townships we serve, where food queue far outweigh those of the treatments and vaccinations.

In support of World Rabies Day on the 28th, we embarked on a massive vaccination/ education day in Katlehong and Zandspruit, where we hoped to raise awareness of the importance of having pets vaccinated against rabies. We successfully managed to vaccinate more than 300 animals.

Snoopy is still looking for his fur-ever home. If anyone can offer our beautiful boy a good home please contact us on 076515451. He’s about months 3-4 months old and has the sweetest nature. Please share with friends and family and help us find a home for him. Home check and adoption fee apply.

Feral cats are a direct result of tame cats not being sterilized and being abandoned or lost. They end up on the streets where some manage to fend for themselves and others die a slow painful death either from starvation or illness. Those that manage to survive end up breeding and multiplying. We have been very successful in controlling colonies with our TNR program. Quite simply this means Trap-Neuter-Return. We do not advise that ferals be removed as the next colony will just take their place. Please contact us for more information should you need us to help.

Our fifth sterilisation campaign in Katlehong has been by far the busiest and most successful of all our days. Despite the cold, we were met by queues of people, either coming to have their furry companions sterilized, vaccinated, dewormed and treated for parasites or treated as they were concerned about their pet.

An amazing 175 animals we sterilized preventing hundreds of thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens. The vets treated 31 animals onsite and another 11 were admitted to hospital for further treatment. A further 781 dogs and cats were vaccinated, dewormed and sprayed for ticks and fleas. Wow what a day. By the end of the day, we were all exhausted, but at the same time extremely satisfied by what was accomplished in just one day. It just comes to show what a bunch of caring individuals can achieve when their hearts are all in the right place.

Thank you very much to every vet and volunteer who worked their butt off to achieve what we did. Also a big thank you to Supreme Pet, Mondeor Homebake, Cipla and WVS who donated dog food for all the sterilized dogs, cupcakes for the kiddies and parasite treatment respectively.

We have managed to treat 9 of the 11 patients that returned with us on Sunday. Our treatments ranged from Parvo, to worms, to a Cherry Eye, to abscesses and tumours. All patients have recovered well and majority are already back home. Unfortunately two dogs had to be put to sleep as their tumours had spread and the cancer was already in their lungs. They would not have made the anaesthetic and the very hard but kindest decision was made to help them cross the rainbow bridge. If only all our cases would have happy endings, but I guess life doesn’t work like that and we were just happy that they were not left to suffer.

Danger was hit by a car and needed a femur head removal. Unfortunately there was not much hope for Danger to walk again. He is such a sweet and gentle boy that has won the hearts of everyone and we really wanted to give him another chance of being able to walk and run again. We have been doing intensive physio for the last few weeks and we are finally making progress.

Please donate and help us pay the ever mounting bills for all the animals that were treated:
Animal Allies
Nedbank Central Gauteng
Account No: 1284143821
Branch code: 128405
Ref: Your email/cell number

“It’s the first of September

You know what that means

Time to give your cupboards

A good “Spring” clean.

We know it’s hard work

And it’s the last thing you need

But we at Animal Allies

Survive on your good deeds

So pack up those clothes, accessories and shoes

Throw in a book, some cups and some tools.

Please help us fight to save animals now

And for that we’ll applaud you and give you a bow”

As always, we couldn’t do the work that we do if it weren’t for you our wonderful supporters. Thank you to each and every one of you.

July was another very busy month for Animal Allies. Firstly, there was Smartie, who was hit by a car. Both his Ulna and Radius were broken and he requires specialised surgery. We are waiting for quotes. Other dogs with broken limbs, have had them repaired and are on the road to recovery. Our two TVT (transmissible venereal tumour) cases continued with their chemo treatments (vinchristine) every week for 4 weeks.

One dog was poisoned, two dogs had biliary, an ear infection, two eye infections and a dog with a prolapsed uterus. We also admitted dogs for rehabilitation. And then the usual, dogs not eating, dogs vomiting, dogs with diarrhoea, and finally mange. Most of these cases have been successful while the rest are still recovering. And the vet bills have gone through the roof.

Can you believe the difference in this mommy dog and her puppy. On one of Oscar’s rounds in Katlehong, he came across these dogs with very bad mange. After a few weeks of good food and treatment, they are now two completely different dogs.

We understand that not everyone can make huge financial donations and you may think giving a small amount is not worth it. Any amount no matter how small, makes a big difference. To help cover our costs please consider making a donation.

We have set the date for our next sterilisation day in Katlehong. If you have not yet attended one of these days, you are really missing out on a great opportunity to help our township animals. Spare some time and join us on the 20th of August as we once again sterilise, vaccinate, spray for ticks and fleas, deworm, and hand out collars, leashes and food. If you are not able to join us, please consider donating any of the following items; dog and cat food, tinned food, blankets, collars and leashes, tick and flea treatment or kennels. For more information please contact us on 0765115451.

Congratulations to Gen, Aydan and Taryn for successfully finishing the Knysna Half Marathon. They raised an amazing R3300.00 which will go toward sterilizing our township animals. Thank you to our awesome supporters who donated towards this worthy cause. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

We are so grateful and privileged to have been chosen by Absa Home Loans as their CSI project for 2017. Thank you to Natasha and her team for raising funds on our behalf and purchasing cat and dog food, blankets and bowls. They joined us on one of our dip days in Katlehong to get a first-hand glimpse at what we do and to hand out their donations to the animal guardians.

You, our loyal supporters, enable us to continue the work we do. Please continue helping us make a difference in the lives of the animals in our care, by SMSing “Allies” to 38365 at R10/SMS. We salute and appreciate you all. Thank you!!

Our mission is to improve the lives of as many animals as possible. We do this by providing food, shelter and medical treatment, as well as sterilizations. These sterilizations are not limited to the township animals but include feral cats and suburban animals.

Fortunately, due to our wonderful supporters, we are able to continue our work and thank everyone who has contributed in one way or another.

Teddy has made a remarkable recovery. She was the dog hit by a car and surrendered to us to be euthanized, and yes the thought did cross our minds, but the twinkle in Teddy’s eye and her wagging tail told us she wasn’t ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. An appeal on Facebook brought in enough funds to pay for her operation and aftercare and her physiotherapy will be done at no charge. She has even found a forever home and will be discharged from Oaklands Veterinary Clinic next week. Good luck Teddy you really deserved a second chance and thank you all who kindly donated to ensure that she got one.

We have recently been joined, in Katlehong, by four State vets. Once a week we meet and they assist with treating, dipping and vaccinating the animals. They are also performing two sterilizations a week for us. Thank you Gillian, Heidi, Pamela and Lindsay for volunteering your time and giving the animals in Katlehong a new leash on life.

Gen Nash, Aydan Akule & Taryn Copeman will be running the Knysna Marathon and Animal Allies is the beneficiary. Please support these amazing ladies by making a donation. All monies raised will be used for sterilizations. As we are all aware, this is the only way we are going to combat the overpopulation crisis. Please follow the link below.

https://www.givengain.com/cause/7912/campaigns/17674/

On the 24th and 25th of June we will be holding our next vaccination days, the 24th in Zandspruit Informal Settlement and the 25th in the Eskom Informal Settlement. We will be vaccinating, deworming, spraying for ticks and fleas, and handing out buckets of food, as well as collars and leashes. This is where you come in. We desperately need your help in order to make both days a success. We need donations of food, kennels, tick and flea control, collars and leashes and of course your time 🙂 If you are able to help, please contact us on 076 511 5451. Thank you!!

Just when we thought we had homed all our surrendered puppies, along came another litter of five beauties. These puppies are now 6 weeks old and are desperately looking for forever homes. They are just too cute and too gorgeous for you not to want!!! Please share with friends and family and if you are looking to adopt, look no further. An adoption fee and home check apply.

Please continue to help us make a difference to the animals by donating via sms or snapscan

Despite the fact that we are not a shelter, we always have dogs, cats, kittens and puppies looking for homes. These animals are surrendered to us by people who are no longer able to care for them. And this month is no exception. However, all nine puppies, as well as Nina and her son Pepsi, and Teddy (the dog with the broken femur surrendered to be euthanized) have new moms and dads. Thank you to every person who opened their heart and home to our puppies and adopted and the biggest THANKS to everyone that shared our posts and spread the word, you made this possible.

Just a reminder, on the 15th of July these three wonderful ladies Gen Mash, Aydan Akule and Taryn Coperman will be running the Knysna Marathon on behalf of Animal Allies to help raise funds for our township animals. So we desperately ask for your help and support to reach the R10000 target that they have set. If each person receiving this newsletter donated R1 a kilometre we would not only reach this target we would more than double it, making a lot of animals and us very happy J Please follow the link below to contribute towards this amazing cause.

We held two vaccination days on the 24th and the 25th of June. The first in Zandspruit and the second in Eskom/Lions Park. What great days. Together we vaccinated, dewormed and treated for ticks and fleas 470 dogs and 22 cats. Five animals were taken for further treatment and two puppies were surrendered to us and are now looking for forever homes. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who came to help, making it a lot easier for us. Thank you to Mondeor Homebake for the incredible cupcakes, Linda Scrace for all the flea and tick treatment, Catbox Pet Hyper and Yankee Candle for the pet food.

Winter is upon us bringing with it cold days and freezing nights. Our kennel drive is still on and we need kennels to help the poor in the townships. These animals have absolutely no shelter from the elements. If you have a kennel your dog is no longer using and is still in good condition, please consider giving it to a dog that has nothing. We will gladly collect it from you. You could also make a donation and we will buy the kennel on your behalf.

The ladies at Sandringham Gardens have been knitting blankets for pre-school children we support. On Thursday we took the ladies and their care givers to Zandspruit to hand out 75 blankets, bonnets and sweet packs. What an extremely moving experience to see their little faces beaming with joy when they received their parcels.

Please help us find the owners of this beautiful boy. He is either lost or has been dumped. He is completely tame and was “trapped” at Golden Harvest Park. He is not microchipped and we have since sterilised him. If you have lost a male tabby or know of any one that has, please contact us on 0765115451.

This month we took on 3 additional cases which, if it weren’t for our monthly donors, we would not have been able to do. Monthly donors allow us to take on additional cases with the confidence that we’ll still have the resources we need to continue our daily work. Your contribution is vital in our quest to make a difference in the township animals’ lives. If you are in a position to help, please complete the attached form and either scan and email or fax it to 0866055241. Thank you!!

Or you can Snapscan to donate or SMS ‘Allies’ to 38365 @R10/SMS.

We are always grateful to those that support us, please help spread the word about Animal Allies so we can continue doing the work we do.

We started April with our fourth onsite sterilisation campaign. On Sunday the 2nd, we set off at 5:45am for Katlehong. The early start allowed us time to convert three classrooms into a “prep room” an “operating theatre” and a “recovery room”. By the time the veterinary surgeons arrived at 7:30 we were all set up and ready to go.

Queues of dogs and cats greeted us on our arrival, some waiting to be sterilised and others, already sterilised, waiting to be treated or vaccinated. A total of 13 vets, 3 vet nurses and almost 30 volunteers ensured 105 animals were sterilized and 100s more were treated, vaccinated, dewormed and sprayed for ticks and fleas. Fourteen dogs were brought back to Bromhof and Oaklands Veterinary Clinics for further treatment and six puppies were surrendered who are now looking for their forever homes. Thank you to every vet, vet nurse, volunteer and company that made the day the success it was, and a special thank you to Bromhof for initiating this wonderful outreach program. We truly cannot thank all of you enough.

Please enjoy this wonderful video, Phillip Meyer made of the day. Phillip and his wife, are regular volunteers at Katlehong. Thank you Phillip and Elizabeth for always assisting at our onsite days and a special thank you to Phillip for once again taking the time to make the video and show people what we do on these days.

Look out for our latest adverts currently on William Nicol and Grayston. A big THANKS goes to AdReach for sponsoring them. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to get our name out and raise money for the township animals’ sterilizations. This exposure will allow for us to reach so many more people and hopefully allow us to get the support we greatly need.

Susan from Grounded Journey has taken it upon herself to help raise funds for our township animals, for kennels, food, collars and leashes and especially funds to help with our vet bills. We rely on the kindness of people and donors to make our work possible. Please consider making a donation, or signing a monthly debit order so we can continue doing the work that we do.

Elvis to the rescue again!! This feral cat managed to get a cable tie stuck around his body which caused more damage than we initially thought. He has been given a long term antibiotics as well as anti-inflammatories which will help heal his wounds. We kept him for a few days and happy to say that he is better, more comfortable and now back home.

Chester on the other hand has a long road to recovery. He was hit by a car in the township and broke all his metatarsals. He was taken to Oaklands vet who operated on him and inserted plates. Chester will need about four to six weeks to recover.

And lastly going back to forever homes. We need your help!!! We are not a shelter but always find ourselves with dogs and cats that need to be rehomed. Please don’t forget about Pepsi and Nina, Pebbles, Bantam and Sparky (the two dogs that were recently surrendered to us). All of them have been vaccinated and sterilized and now just need a home to call their own. Don’t shop, please adopt and open up your homes to one or two of the lovey animals we have. Help share with friends and family and spread the word and you could be saving a life!! An adoption fee and home check apply.

To end, we would like to wish you all a wonderful long weekend and to those travelling be safe.

As part of our spay campaign, Bromhof Veterinary clinic has very kindly offered to hold our 4th onsite sterilization day in Katlehong on Sunday. Katelhong forms the second largest township after Soweto and despite being in an industrial area there is an extremely high unemployment rate.

Despite these peoples’ circumstances, they love their pets and try their utmost to provide care and food for them. Unfortunately, being unemployed or on a minimum wage, this is not always possible and as such the people and animals have come to rely on us for their daily meals and for help. We desperately need food for these fur babies. Any cat or dog pellets would really help, which we will gladly collect from you. If you would like to add something for their guardians we will greatly appreciate that too. Remember, this is ongoing and not only for the weekend. Please contact us on 076 511 5451 if you would like to contribute and we will collect. Thank you!!

A big thank you to the following who have come aboard to help us with our sterilisation campaign – Dis-Chem for donating R5000 worth of products, Health & Hygiene for donating F10 disinfectant products, Promeal for the tin food, Yankee candles for donating more food (and on a regular basis) and WorldWide Veterinary Services, who sent us flea products all the way from the UK. You have lightened our load considerably and for that we salute you!!

Our phones never stop ringing with pleas of help for sick animals in the townships in which we work. As a result our vet bills are sitting at figures Zuma would have difficulty paying. Please open your hearts and pockets and help us settle these accounts. Dog owners in the township really struggle and depend heavily on us for help and we now ask you to consider helping us too. A good example is our recent case of Nomsa who de-gloved her paw after being hit by a car. At the time she was running away from a pack of male dogs as she was on heat. Fortunately she has made a remarkable recovery, been sterilized and is now back home. Thanks to the wonderful team at Bromhof vet for taking such good care of her.

Please donate and help us help the township animals.

Our banking details are as follows:

Animal Allies,

Nedbank Gauteng Central

Account number: 1284 143 821

Branch code: 128 405

Cheque account

Reference: Vet bills, your name & email address

Thank you to Ann, Lorrayne, Sara, Urshula and Shirley for donating all the goodies that made up the lovely raffle hamper. Thanks also to everyone that bought a ticket and helped raise funds for our township animals. Congratulations to Meahni Pieterse on winning the hamper, hope you thoroughly enjoy it!!

Don’t forget to sms ‘Allies’ to 38365 @R10/sms or you can donate via Snapscan Thanks!!!

We end off with a quote by Sydney Smith. “It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only little – do what you can”.

We are almost two months into the new year, and a busy two months it has been. From dogs involved in hit and runs, to burns and biliary and finally to a dog that’s managed to deglove his paw. These animals have kept Oscar and Elvis running non stop.

Today, the 28th February marks the 23rd World Spay Day. This is an annual campaign started by the Humane Society International, to highlight the importance of spay and neuter. To celebrate this day, Animal Allies will, once again, embark on a four week program together with 27 Veterinary Clinics. Our aim is to sterilize as many dogs and cats as possible, from the three informal settlements that we are actively involved in. This program will culminate with an on-site sterilization day on the 2nd April in Katlehong, all sterilizations, hopefully in excess of 100, proudly sponsored by Bromhof Veterinary Clinic. We will attend to a further +/-500 animals on this day. All will be vaccinated, dewormed and sprayed for ticks and fleas. All animals will leave with a bucket of food and a collar and leash. In order to make this day a success, we need your help. If you would like to volunteer your time or know of any vets, vet nurses, AWA’s or anyone that would be interested in helping us make a difference, please put them in touch with us either telephonically 0765115451 or by email karen@animalallies.co.za If you can not be there and would still like to contribute to this day, please consider donating food (cat and dog), blankets, collars and leashes or tick and flea treatment.

This month we thank all the ladies. Ann, Lorrayne, Urshila, Sara & Shirley very kindly donated a magnificent hamper for raffling. This stunning hamper has 2 bottles of sparkling wine, chocolates, sweets and snacks, it’s even better than the last one. Tickets are on sale and we hope to raise more money than before. All money raised will go towards our onsite sterilization day in Katlehong. Please buy a ticket or three and you could be the lucky winner!!! One ticket is R20 and three tickets are R50.

Banking details are as follows:

Animal Allies

Nedbank Central Gauteng

Account No. 1284 143 821

Branch code: 128 405

Reference: Raffle, your name and contact number

And then there are the ladies from Sandringham Gardens who have very kindly volunteered their time to knit blankets for our kiddies at the creches in Zandspruit. Considering winter is just around the corner, this offer couldn’t have come at a better time. Help us keep them busy and the kids warm by donating double-knit wool. Just give us a ring and we’ll collect.

We are excited to introduce SnapScan. This makes donating to us quick, simple and easy. Please visit www.snapscan.co.za and download the app on your mobile device and register. Once done snap away and help us clear our hefty vet bills 🙂

To all our supporters who swipe their MySchool card, THANK YOU!! You have helped us achieve another record month and we hope, that with your help every month, every month will be a record month. If you do not have a card and would like to support us please fill in the attached application form and return to me and I will do the rest. If you already have a card, please consider adding us as a beneficiary. This can be done on the MySchool website https://www.myschool.co.za/supporter/update/

Until next month, please keep spreading the word about Animal Allies and swiping your card 🙂